Ski binding



p 9, 1952 J. M. HARBY, JR 2,610,067

SKI BI NDING Filed Jan. 10, 1948 JACKSON M. HARBY, JR.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. .9, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE sKI BINDING J ackson M. Harby, Jr., Seattle, Wash.

Application January 10, 1948, Serial No. 1,542 5 Claims. (01. 280-4135) The present invention relates to ski binding and, in more particular, to a ski binding that operates between the ski and the sole of the ski boot; that. is, there are no parts engaging the counter or upper part of the boot.

In theusual ski binding there is a cable or strap that engages the back of the'boot at the counter and forces the boot forward into the toe loop. This action tends to curl or bend the boot, and this tendencyfis counteracted by making the boot very'stiff and 'heavy.-,This use of a cable allows much lateral movement betweenthe boot and ski and does not anchor the bootheel to the ski.

Having in mind these defects of the prior art,

it is an object of the present invention to provide a ski binding that does not stress'the boot to efiect securing of the'boot to the ski.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a binding that is light in weight.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a ski binding that will disengage the boot and ski when improperly stressed, as man accident.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a ski .bi nding that operates between the ski and the sole of the boot to secure the two together..

Another object of the present invention is the construction ofa ski binding out of sheet material so that the? bindingmay be easily made and will be low in cost.

Yet another object of the present invention is the devising of a ski binding that provides a very rigid connectionibetween the ski boot and the ski.

A still further object is the construction of a ski binding that iseasily and quickly operable to secure the boot to and to release the boot from the ski.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a ski binding that it easily selective in its operation to secure both the heel and toe of the boot to the ski or only the toe.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of. a ski binding that is identical for both right and left boots, and which is identical from one set of bindings to the next so that one set ofboots may be used with any set of skis without adjustment. i

Having in mind the defects of the prior art and. the above objects, applicant has constructed a ski binding that comprises two plates which are simple in construction. Oneof these plates is secured to the ski and the other to the sole of the boot. The two plates are interlocked by placing the boot plate on the ski plate and then moving the boot plate forward into engagement and look-- ing position with the ski plate. The ski plate is secured tothe ski only near the center of the plate so that the ends are resilient. This allows disengagement of the plates as a result of improper stressing.

A ski binding constructed in accordance with the above outline is hereinafter described in detail and is shown in" the accompanying drawings, in which: i

Fig. l is a perspective view of the binding show-. ing the boot and ski plates extended from each other. i

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion. of the toe of the binding showing the plates interlocked.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the heel of the binding showing the plates interlocked.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the sole of a boot with the boot plate applied and with a soft guard sole over the boot plate.

In Fig. 1 there is shown in perspective the boot plate! and the ski plate 20 in extended relationship, and the ski plate mounted on a ski of which only a portion is shown.

The boot plate has a heel 2, a shank 3 that connects the heel to a toe 4, and ahead of the toe is a catch 5. The heel 2 is tapered backwardly and its edges. 6, 1, are rolled under but spaced from the underside of the heel. Holes 8 are provided for screws which secure the heel to the heel of the boot. The shank 3 is a narrow strip joining the heel and the toe of the plate. The

edges of the toe are tapered forwardly. The too 4 has down-turned edges 9, ID. These edges are not turned under but extend downward and outward from. the edges of the plate. The spring catch 5 has a narrow tongue extending forward of the toe with a down-turned section forming a stop II, and forward of the stop an upturned part forming a toe guard l2. The toe of the boot plate has formed therein screw holes l3 through which screws are placed for securing the plate to a boot. The toe guard also has formed therein screw holes I4. Screws placed in the toe guard will enter the boot sole from the front edge of the sole.

The ski plate 20 has a heel 2| that is connected by a shank 22 to a toe 23. The heel edges 24, 25,

are tapered rearward and the whole heel slopes edges 6, 1, of the bootplate heel. This is accomplished by sliding .the boot plate heel from 3 the rear along and forward relative to the ski plate heel. The shank 22 of the ski plate is provided with a series of screw holes 26 in which screws .2! may be placed for securing the plate to a ski 23, shown only in part. The toe 23 of the ski plate is tapered forwardly and slopes upward and forward from the shank and has its edges 29, 3t upwardly and inwardly turned. These edges 29, 39, are proportioned to receive and hold the edges 9, it, of the boot plate toe, and these edges are interlocked by the same forward movement that interlocks the heels of the plates. This interlocking of the heels and toes is shown in Figures 2 and 3. The central portion of the ski plate toe is provided with two slots 3|; 32; Through these slots is passed a sprin tongue 33 which, due to its shape and the shaping of the plate, is secured to the plate.

struck portion forming a catch face 34 that fits with the stop ll of the catch at the forward end of the boot plate. The tongue extends forwardly and upwardly beyond the catch 34 to act as a handle 35, wherebythetongue may be depressed to disengage the catch 34 from the stop I l. Sliding the two plates into engagement places the catch and the stop in looking relationship. De pression' of the handle 35 allows the plates to be easily disengaged.

When the boot plate has been secured to a boot as shown in Fig. 4, the plate is covered up by a guard sole 49. This guard sole has cut out-portions to allow the ski plate to properly engage the boot plate. The guard sole is placed on the boot so that the boot plate will not mar floors when the ski boots are worn without the ski attached. The soles of most ski boots are curved so that when the boot plate is secured to the boot it will be curved. Both of the plates are made thin withthis in mind so that they may be easily fitted to most any boot. This also is the reason why the toe and heel of the ski plate are bent upwardly fromthe shank. The toe of the ski plate is bent upward so that its outer end is about one-half inch above the ski and the heel is bent upward so that its back edge is about onequarter inch above the ski.

The toe and heel of the ski plate are not directly secured to the ski so that when unduly'stressed, as when the skier takes a bad fall, the extra strain will allow the toe and heel to bend on the shank and this will allow the two plates to separate.

The use of the binding of the present invention will prevent many serious accidents, as the binding will release the skier from his skis when unduly stressed. Also, the use of the present binding will enable the skier to use a much lighter and cheaper shoe.

With the present binding it is possible to engage the toe of the boot plate with the toe of the ski plate and not the heels of the plates, This is done by holding thev heel of the boot high enough to clear the heel of the ski Plate while engaging the toe. This allows good freedom for cross-country skiing.

The plates of the binding may be stamped out by the use of dies to give a uniform product. Thus any boot plate may be used with any ski plate. Also, the plates for right and left boots are alike. This is a great advantage, as no care has to be taken to distinguish between rights and lefts.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim: 1. A ski bindin comprising: a boot plate hav- The tongue is -extended forward of the toe and has anupwardly ing a rearwardly tapered heel with down and under-turned edges, a toe tapered forwardly with down and out-turned edges, forward of the toe a stop rearwardly directed and a shank connecting said heel and toe; and. a ski plate having a rearwardly tapered heel that is bent upward, a forwardly tapered toe that is bent upward with upward and inward bent edges, a spring catch forward of the toe adapted to engage said stop when said plates are engaged and a shank connecting said heel and toe and adapted to be secured to a ski.

2. A ski binding boot plate having a heel, toe and shank connecting said heel and toe, said heel having longitudinal edges rearwardly tapered and turned down and under, said toe having longitudinal edges forwardlyv tapered and turned down and out, and forward of and secured to the toe a stop rearwardly directed.

3. A ski and binding plate secured to the upper face of said ski, saidplate having a heel, toe, and shank connecting said heel and toe, securing means to secure said shank to said ski, said heel and toe each being bent with relation to said shank and upward away from said ski, said he'el having its longitudinal edges tapered rearwardly, said toe having its longitudinal edges tapered forwardly and bent upward and in, and a tongue secured to said toe extending forward of said toe and formed with a forwardly facing catch face.

i. A ski boot and binding plate secured to the sole of said boot, saidplate having a heel, toe, and shank connecting said heel and toe, said heel having longitudinal edges rearwardly tapered and turned down and under, away from the sole of said boot, said toe having longitudinal edges forwardly tapered and turned down and cut, away from the sole of said boot, forward of and secured to said toe a stop rearwardly directed, and a guard sole over and secured to the sole of said boot, said guard sole having formed therein an opening for said heel, openings along each longitudinal side of said toe, and terminating rearward of said stop.

5. A ski binding, comprising: a boot plate and a ski plate, said plates having heel and toe portions, said toe portions interfitting with each other and said heel portions interfitting with each other, a shank joining the toe and heel portions of said ski plate, said toe and heel pore tions of said ski plate not being directly secured to a ski when mounted thereon, said shank being adapted to be directly secured to such ski, and said ski plate being resiliently constructed whereby undue stress will allow said plates to separate.

JACKSON M. HARBY, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,235,713 Michaud et al Aug. 7, 1917 1,975,299 Tappe Oct. 2, 1934 2,208,829 Barieau July 23, 1940 2,246,153 Wallace June 17, 1941 2,449,242 Millard Sept. 14, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Number Country Date 56,966 Norway Aug. 17, 1936 92,534 Sweden June 8, 1938 16 ,590 Switzerland July 17, 1933 

